1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a process and system for reforming a hydrocarbon fuel and particularly to an internal combustion engine equipped with a fuel reforming system.
2. Background Information
A prior art internal combustion engine equipped with a fuel reforming device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 52-98819.
In such an internal combustion engine, fuel (i.e., hydrocarbon fuel) is conveyed from a fuel tank to a separator by way of a pump. Within the separator, fuel is separated into a hydrocarbon gas which is a lower boiling point component and a liquid hydrocarbon which is a higher boiling point component. The hydrocarbon gas of a lower boiling point component is conveyed to a reforming device where it is reformed into a gas of a large hydrogen content, and supplied to an engine by way of a mixing device. The liquid hydrocarbon of a high boiling point component is kept unreformed and supplied to the engine by way of an injector.